Interview with SEIA’s Abby Hopper. Tomorrow I host a Q&A with SEIA’s CEO Abby Hopper. You can participate by submitting your questions, the interview will be recorded and published here on Thursday. The time for politics is now and we all have to be on the same page with our talking points.
Opinion Best, Yann The post This is your SolarWakeup for November 10th, 2020 appeared first on SolarWakeup.com. from https://www.solarwakeup.com/2020/11/10/this-is-your-solarwakeup-for-october-18th-2019-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-117/
0 Comments
President-Elect Biden. Saturday morning’s crepe making was interrupted by a call by the networks that former Senator and Vice-President had earned the title of President-elect. It also means that California’s Senator Harris was now Vice President-elect Harris, the first woman elevated to the office. Congratulations to them, and many of you, for this achievement. Also a word to those of you that didn’t pick the Biden Harris ticket, some of you have explained to me your reasons, I hope that you will find this administration more receptive to your input than the Trump administration did before and you will give them a chance. As a father of three, including a 8 year old daughter, I was moved throughout the day as my daughters, who didn’t care much about Joe Biden becoming President, but repeatedly said Madam Vice President.
Opinion Best, Yann The post This is your SolarWakeup for November 9th, 2020 appeared first on SolarWakeup.com. from https://www.solarwakeup.com/2020/11/09/this-is-your-solarwakeup-for-october-18th-2019-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-116/ Q CELLS, a total energy solutions provider in solar cell and module, energy storage, downstream project business and energy retail, has secured the project development rights for a 429 MWp solar portfolio in Spain from RIC Energy. Q CELLS’s downstream business unit signed the agreement to purchase 429 MWp of new solar capacity in Spain, which is projected to achieve ready to build status by the fourth quarter of 2021. RIC Energy, the renewable energy developer from which the portfolio was acquired, has agreed as part of the sale to oversee the development of the 10 sites to bring them to ready to build status over the next year. All 10 of the project sites are located in Spain’s autonomous communities of Aragon and Castilla y León in Spain’s inner northwest region. “Q CELLS is delighted to have added a further 429 MW of solar project rights to our growing pipeline in Spain,” says Sang Chull Chung, head of the downstream business unit at Q CELLS. “As a global total energy solutions provider, we are committed to supporting the ongoing energy transition of Spain towards a cleaner, greener future – and are pleased to continue strengthening our relationship with RIC Energy in order to do so.” The completion of this latest acquisition from RIC Energy follows an earlier deal completed at the end of 2019 which saw Q CELLS purchase the rights to develop 940 MWp of solar project capacity from RIC Energy in what – at the time – was one of the largest renewable energy deals in Iberia. These projects are expected to reach ready to build status at the beginning of 2022. This deal further underlines Q CELLS’ commitment to developing renewable energy in Iberia. Across Spain and Portugal combined, Q CELLS will deliver more than 3.5 GW of clean solar energy to the nations’ grids over the next few years. The post Q CELLS Secures Development Rights for Spanish Solar Portfolio appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://globalsolarsupply.com/q-cells-secures-development-rights-for-spanish-solar-portfolio/
Reading Time: 4 minutes
More and more homeowners are looking for ways to improve the resilience of their home’s electricity systems. Historically, many people who wanted backup power for their homes in the event of an emergency–think natural disasters and other outage events–looked to back up generators for that resilience. These days, however, homeowners are increasingly looking to energy storage systems, and solar plus storage systems in particular, for that peace of mind during outages. Despite providing the same benefit of backup power, it can be difficult to compare the two different technologies: backup generators vs. solar + storage installations. With that in mind, earlier this year, we contributed to a report published by Vote Solar, Resilient Clean Energy for California, which includes a section that focuses on the costs and benefits of both technologies. Using that report as a guide, we decided to compare backup generators and solar + storage by doing the math. The case for backup powerIn many parts of the country, the case for purchasing a backup power solution is clear. In California, wildfires and public safety power shutoffs look set to persist for at least the next decade according to scientists and public officials in the state. Each of those can cause prolonged power outages for millions of utility electricity users at homes and businesses across the state. In the Southeast, the increased frequency and severity of hurricanes has led to more outages as well, paired with an increasing demand for backup power solutions. And in the Northeast, many parts of the region experience outages during the winter when strong winds coupled with ice storms lead to snow-laden tree limbs taking down power lines. In each of these instances, a backup generator or solar plus storage installation could keep the lights on in homes during the outage itself. And remember, solar panels on their own aren’t enough to provide electricity during an outage. Check out our video on the subject to learn more. Backup generators vs. energy storageThere are two primary reasons that homeowners have historically opted for backup generators. First, they cost less upfront than other options for providing backup power for your home. Second, in the past, generators have been very easy to find and set up at your home: in fact, you can frequently buy backup generators at home improvement stores, and some might not even need to be installed by an electrician. However, backup generators come with a number of downsides. For one, you’ll have to ensure you have the fossil fuel they run on accessible and on hand in anticipation of an outage, which can be tough to do when outages are, you know, unexpected. Next, backup generators are large, loud machines that aren’t meant to be run every day, meaning you only benefit from having them in the event of an outage. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, by burning fossil fuels backup generators cause significant local pollution, not the least of which is carbon monoxide, which has become a large safety risk with fossil fuel powered backup generators. Batteries, on the other hand, are more expensive up front and require an electrician to install but solve for all of the issues that can potentially plague backup generators. First, when paired with solar panels, they are powered by the sun, which means the battery can be refilled every day so long as the sun keeps shining. Batteries are very quiet and can provide value to you every single day, especially in places like California where when you have solar, the electricity you pull from the grid when the sun is down can be more expensive than the electricity you put onto the grid when the sun is shining. And, finally, there are no local emission concerns with solar & storage installations–they run entirely on clean, renewable solar power. Doing the math: backup generators vs. energy storageAs mentioned above, this section draws heavily on Vote Solar’s Resilient Clean Energy for California report, which we contributed to for this particular section. At a high level, there are a few key benefits between a solar + storage installation and a backup generator financially. Solar plus storage provides value every day, is fueled by the sun instead of purchased gasoline or diesel, is eligible for tax credits and incentives, requires very little to no maintenance, and is often less expensive than grid power or than purchasing a fossil fuel to use. It’s important to consider the overall benefits of solar + storage beyond just providing backup power when comparing backup generators to energy storage systems. As written in Vote Solar’s report in comparing a home with a 5 kilowatt solar panel system & two Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries with a home with a 3.5 kilowatt gasoline backup generator: “The bottom line is that the solar + storage home has a 20-year cost that is more than $22,000 less than the home with the backup generator.” Even without battery incentives, a solar + storage homeowner still saves compared to the backup generator home, in large part due to the energy savings from solar. We’ve reproduced a table from the Vote Solar report below that compares the 20 year cost for backup generators vs. solar plus storage. Though the solar plus storage installation has higher upfront costs, it more than makes up that difference over 20 years in bill savings, as well as in avoided maintenance and fuel costs. Explore solar plus storage options on EnergySageInterested in backup power, or in reducing how much you pay for electricity? Get started comparing your solar plus storage options on EnergySage today. Estimate your bill savings from solar with our Solar Calculator. And to receive custom solar + storage quotes, register for a free account on the EnergySage Marketplace. from https://news.energysage.com/backup-generators-vs-energy-storage-do-the-math/ Canadian Solar Inc. says its wholly owned subsidiary, Recurrent Energy LLC, is currently constructing the 28 MW AC Maplewood 2 Solar Project for Energy Transfer, a Dallas-based midstream energy company. Maplewood 2 is located in Pecos County in the Permian Basin of West Texas and will deliver power to Energy Transfer under a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA). This PPA marks Energy Transfer’s first-ever dedicated solar contract. “The Maplewood 2 Solar Project is our third project to be constructed in Texas, bringing our total to more than 385 MW AC of solar projects built in the Lone Star State,” says Dr. Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar. “We are pleased that this project is now under construction, as it brings us that much closer to delivering low-cost, clean power to Energy Transfer.” According to a report by Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association, Texas ranks fourth in the U.S. for installed solar and is poised to become a nationwide leader with more than 4 GW of capacity expected to be installed over the next five years. The Maplewood 2 Solar Project is estimated to be in operation in Q1 2021. The post Recurrent Energy Begins Construction on Maplewood Solar Project appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://globalsolarsupply.com/recurrent-energy-begins-construction-on-maplewood-solar-project/ No Call, But It’s Coming. Having stayed awake until the early morning hours, waiting for a call on some set of States to put Biden of 270, it looks like we’ll wait another day. That’s all it seems though, most likely both NV and PA will be called for Biden at some point today. Georgia and Arizona will go through some post election confirmations but America will most likely talk about what’s next. SolarWakeup will be part of that conversation and I welcome your thoughts. Next week we will talk about ITC, stimulus bills, Senate confirmations and more, but it will wait because I’d rather be late and right than a pundit that’s early and wrong. Every Utility Is Pivotal. Duke wants to get credit for playing a pivotal role in clean energy, though they should play a supportive role. Being involved as the monopoly is natural, being the antagonist is natural for being an IOU.
Opinion
Best, Yann The post This is your SolarWakeup for November 6th, 2020 appeared first on SolarWakeup.com. from https://www.solarwakeup.com/2020/11/06/this-is-your-solarwakeup-for-october-18th-2019-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-115/
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Commercial and industrial (C&I) property owners can benefit from installing solar energy on business or factory roofs, or as ground-mounted systems on a campus. Many corporations have massive manufacturing facilities with expansive, flat roof space – AKA the perfect place to generate clean, inexpensive solar energy. What is a commercial solar panel system?Most commercial and industrial solar installations are substantially larger than a typical residential solar panel system. For perspective, the average size of a residential solar panel system is around 8 kilowatts (kW), while a commercial solar energy system can be up to several megawatts (MW) in size, depending on the electricity needs of the facility. Commercial solar is considered “distributed generation,” meaning that the energy produced by the system is used at or near the point of generation. Distributed generation projects, such as rooftop or ground-mounted residential solar, are usually connected to the local electric grid. This allows for commercial property owners to take advantage of net metering, a policy enabling distributed generation customers to send unused electricity back to the grid in exchange for electricity bill credits. What does a commercial or industrial solar installation look like?The solar panels used in commercial and industrial-scale installations are oftentimes larger than residential panels. Large-scale commercial solar installations usually use 96-cell or greater solar panels, meaning each panel is made of 96 or more individual solar photovoltaic cells. For comparison, a typical residential solar panel will have 60 or 72 cells. There are often many installation options for C&I projects, from factory roof space, to solar carports in parking lots, or large ground-mounted arrays. Unlike most rooftop systems, commercial and industrial solar systems often include intricate racking systems to elevate and tilt the panels. Some commercial panel arrays even use racking with tracking capabilities, allowing the panels to face different directions throughout the day – this helps increase the amount of direct sunlight that hits the panels (and maximizes electricity production!) Incentives for commercial solar installationsThere are multiple rebates and incentives available for commercial solar installations. In addition to the investment tax credit (ITC) that allows for the deduction of 22 percent of the cost of the solar energy system from federal taxes, commercial property owners can write off the value of their solar installation through the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS). This incentive reduces businesses’ tax burden to speed up returns on solar investments. Advantages of going solar for businessesThere are many good reasons for businesses to generate their own electricity with solar panels: Solar saves businesses moneyOne of the best reasons to install a commercial or industrial solar panel system is the financial benefit. Offsetting some or all of your electricity use at a factory or small business with solar reduces electric bills from day one. Plus, solar panel systems operate effectively for over 30 years, and once your business makes back the upfront investment for their system, you can generate free electricity from their panel system for many years after. Solar helps foster a sustainable brand imageSolar panels are a visible signal that your company is committed to sustainability and a clean energy future. How companies and corporations are responding to environmental responsibility is an increasingly important issue; by taking action to support clean, renewable energy, companies can signal to potential customers that they care about more than just turning a profit. Installing solar is a great way to generate positive buzz with stakeholders and the local community. Installing solar supports the local economyMany of the highest quality solar panel installation companies are local businesses, and contracting with them for a large commercial installation increases demand for high-quality, local labor. Additionally, the money spent on installation goes right into your local economy. Start your solar journey today with EnergySageEnergySage is the nation’s online solar marketplace: when you sign up for a free account, we connect you with solar companies in your area, who compete for your business with custom solar quotes tailored to fit your needs. Over 10 million people come to EnergySage each year to learn about, shop for, and invest in solar. Sign up today to see how much solar can save you. from https://news.energysage.com/commercial-solar-panel-installations/
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The largest scale of solar projects is utility-scale solar. Typically sized anywhere from 1 to 5 megawatts (MW), utility-scale solar installations can be massive projects, often spanning multiple acres of land. Utility-scale solar projects are usually ground-mounted arrays. Sometimes, these arrays include the use of solar trackers to maximize energy production. What is a utility-scale solar installation?The primary difference between utility-scale solar and other distributed solar options (such as commercial and residential installations) is that the electricity generated from a utility project is not used directly at the host site. Depending on the installation’s geographic location, the power produced at utility solar arrays is either sold to wholesale utility buyers through a power purchase agreement (PPA) or owned directly by an electric utility company. Regardless of the exact structure, the initial customer of the generated power is an electric utility company, which will then distribute the generated electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial ratepayers connected to the grid. Utility-scale solar isn’t limited to photovoltaics – some utility scale projects are concentrated photovoltaics (CPT) or concentrated solar power (CSP). However, photovoltaic installations are the most common type of utility-scale solar solutions. Oftentimes, utility-scale solar installations will also include storage technology so that they can store solar electricity when the sun is shining, and distribute it later during hours of little or no sunlight. How does utility-scale solar stack up against traditional electricity generation?Compared to traditional power generation sources like fossil fuels and nuclear power, there is one downside to utility-scale solar that’s important and oftentimes difficult to overcome: intermittency. Solar panels can only generate electricity when the sun is shining, while other traditional generation sources can supply energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fortunately, solar can become available at all hours of the day with energy storage solutions like solar batteries. An energy source that can provide power on demand, turn on and off, and has an adjustable power output is known as dispatchable generation. A coal, natural gas, or hydroelectric plant is considered dispatchable generation because it can be turned on to provide power within a relatively short window of time (usually between seconds and hours.) Solar energy on its own is typically not considered dispatchable generation – it can only travel to the grid when the sun is shining and it cannot be turned on during many hours of the day, namely after the sun goes down. In order for utility-scale solar to be an effective dispatchable energy resource, batteries and other types of storage can be leveraged to accumulate solar energy that can then act as a dispatchable system when the solar panels aren’t producing electricity at night. Utility-scale solar storage makes solar energy much more reliable, and therefore much more attractive to utilities and their stakeholders. Batteries for home useEnergy storage isn’t just for utility-scale installations; you can also use solar batteries with residential solar installations. Installing a solar battery to store extra solar energy produced by a rooftop or ground-mounted system means potential savings if your electricity provider employs time-of-use rates or demand charges, as well as peace of mind that your home can remain powered for a time in case of power outages. Start your solar journey today with EnergySageEnergySage is the nation’s online solar marketplace: when you sign up for a free account, we connect you with solar companies in your area, who compete for your business with custom solar quotes tailored to fit your needs. Over 10 million people come to EnergySage each year to learn about, shop for and invest in solar. Sign up today to see how much solar can save you. from https://news.energysage.com/utility-scale-solar-panel-installations/ Sungrow, a global supplier of inverter solutions, has selected Tigo as its technology provider for PV rapid shutdown solutions in the U.S. Sungrow has also joined the Tigo Enhanced initiative, which makes it easier for PV customers to get reliable rapid shutdown solutions. “We are excited to be bringing a plug and play rapid shutdown solution to our PV customers,” says Hank Wang, president of Sungrow Americas. “Our inverters are ready to pair with Tigo rapid shutdown devices right out of the box.” Tigo’s Rapid Shutdown Transmitters are embedded in Sungrow’s 36 kW and 60 kW 3 phase inverters. The inverters are ready to be paired with Tigo’s TS4-A-F and TS4-A-2F rapid shutdown devices, making rapid shutdown compliant installations simple and quick. The Sungrow inverters and Tigo rapid shutdown devices can be purchased at major distributor locations throughout the U.S. The companies will be co-hosting a live webinar on their solutions for the U.S. rooftop PV market at 10 a.m. PT on Nov. 5. Interested parties can reserve their spot with this registration link. The post Sungrow Selects Tigo for Rapid Shutdown Solutions appeared first on Solar Industry. from https://globalsolarsupply.com/sungrow-selects-tigo-for-rapid-shutdown-solutions/ Another Day. With the election yet to be determined and likely not fully in view for a day or more, I’ll refrain from my thoughts on what results do or don’t mean. More to come when we know more.
Opinion Best, Yann The post This is your SolarWakeup for November 5th, 2020 appeared first on SolarWakeup.com. from https://www.solarwakeup.com/2020/11/05/this-is-your-solarwakeup-for-october-18th-2019-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-114/ |
AuthorHi i am Deborah Ringgold living in Miami, FL i am 31 years old. I am working with local electric company we deals in solar energey and commercial electrical works. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |